Rainscreen cladding systems are enabling architects to move away from the traditional school building design to create structures that inspire a new generation of students. Simon Gregory from Proteus Facades looks at the issue in detail
School buildings have evolved dramatically over the years as architects move away from traditional bricks and mortar. Instead, they are opting for materials which allow creation of more engaging structures that both stand out and positively impact teachers and students.
Various studies and reports carried out over recent years have found that the overall design of a school building can have quite an impact on a student’s ability to learn, their attainment, aspirations, and ultimately academic performance. The RIBA Better Spaces for Learning report for example states that “school buildings have a significant and positive impact on pupil behaviour, engagement, wellbeing and attainment and on staff productivity, with the most comfortable and well-designed facilities demonstrating a 15% overall increase.”
In addition, the University of Salford has found “clear evidence that a well-designed school can boost learning progress in reading, writing and maths”; as part of the ‘Clever Classrooms’ study, a summary of the HEAD Project by Professor Peter Barrett.
As such, architects are recognising that the design of a school is extremely important and should incorporate plenty of space, creativity and colour, among other key elements. Some studies conducted in recent years have also cited that the design of the external learning environment can have a substantial effect on imagination, security, and play quality of pupils.
In line with this, modern rainscreen cladding systems have progressed to a stage where they now provide architects and designers with the freedom to create aesthetically pleasing school buildings that improve the overall teaching experience for pupils.
Take the new Corfield Building at St Albans School in Hertfordshire for example. In recent years the school has experienced a consistently increasing take-up of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related subjects by pupils. However, it was found that there was a lack of existing, fit-for-purpose space to house and support the growth and teaching of these subjects at the school.
The building replaces a now demolished wooden cabin-like structure to address this need. Designed by PHP Architects and developed by Borras Construction, it includes a bespoke two storey maths facility on the upper ground and first floors along with a Combined Cadet Force (CCF) shooting range and office space within the lower ground floor. A key requirement for the design of the new structure was to ensure that the outside aesthetics showcased the state-of-the-art facilities within and the leading reputation that the school has for its STEM programme.
To achieve the required aesthetic and taking inspiration from the old black boards and white chalk used in schools many years ago, PHP Architects specified bespoke back-painted glass cladding panels with a unique, screen-printed monochrome mathematical design.
The glass was fabricated with a two-layer digital screen-print effect. An initial white application was applied, with a CNC control printing of the mathematical symbols. A solid secondary black back-painted layer was then added to create the black board effect.
Colour is key
As well as incorporating creative designs and imagery to support learning, colour is an important element. Different colours can often generate different impacts on students’ emotions and mindsets during the school day.
Red for example is a stimulant that can help to provoke conversation; improves performance/concentration and spurs action, while green is known to offer calming effects and reduce stress. The use of the colour yellow and its varying shades, including gold, is also a common colour in schools as it is found to be beneficial to learning as it creates a positive feeling in pupils and is optimum for maintaining attention and encouraging creativity.
This is a factor not lost on architects BDP who in 2019 designed the Mulberry Park Community Hub with an eye-catching and equally functional gold facade. The £10m building, commissioned by housing association Curo, sits at the heart of Mulberry Park, the renovation of the former Ministry of Defence site on Fox Hill in the village of Combe Down on the southern fringes of Bath.
The development features perforated gold cladding panels, manufactured from a mixture of copper and aluminium, on the school hall and the third floor, cantilevered above the main entrance and Public Square. Complementary solid rainscreen cladding panels, also in a gold finish, feature at ground floor level, adding structure and providing an aesthetically pleasing, hardwearing layer that both benefits the learning and play of pupils and protects the building from the elements.
Summary
Both St Albans School and Mulberry Park feature distinctive facade designs that not only stand out but also benefit the pupils and support their learning. They are clear examples that the look and feel of the external areas of a teaching environment are just as important as the internal spaces.
With building design having an impact on a student’s ability to learn, and the benefits of integrating colour and creativity into all teaching spaces, both inside and out, it is clear that the external aesthetics of school buildings and how they are developed moving forwards will continue to evolve. As such, we expect demand for innovative rainscreen cladding that can help to create both functional and striking structures to continue to rise.
Simon Gregory is sales director at Proteus Facades